A Rainy May Bloom Day

Maries' Viburnum Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Mariesii'

It is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and the rain is coming down in buckets. The crazy 2012 weather gave us no snow in January or February, record-breaking high temperatures in March, March winds in April, and April showers (actually downpours) in May. Makes me wonder what the summer will bring. I took some pictures yesterday when the rain was lighter, but because of the drizzle -- or my inept ability as a photographer -- some of the photos are a bit blurry like the one at the top of the page.

I love Bloom Day because I can compare my garden over the years. Last year on this date the crabapple was in full bloom, so were the lilacs, and I still had daffodils and primroses. All those blooms are gone already this year, and the bluebells, rhododendron, azalea, honeysuckles, strawberries and blueberries are blooming at least two weeks early. As I said, it's a crazy year!

Let's take a walk around my garden:

I am pleased with the viburnum I planted last year.

SHADE GARDEN:

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Tiarella sp. 'Foamflower' (center) with lamium, ferns and hosta.

Calycanthus floridus 'Sweet Shrub'

I recently discovered I had this sp. of Calycanthus with red blooms

I planted a Chinese Mayapple two years ago, and thought it was dead. I am happy to see it survived ...

Podophyllum delavayi 'Chinese Mayapple'

Dicentra 'Bleeding Heart'

WOODLAND WALK:

The bluebells along Bluebell Creek lead us into the Woodland Walk...

They don't look very blue in this picture -- I blame the rain.

Pieris japonica x florabunda 'Mountain Fire' and Pulmonaria

Pulmonaria Lungwort

Unfortunately, our Woodland Walk has many invasive species which H.H. labors to remove each year. One of them, the Russian Olive, is blooming today, and it's heady scent pervades my garden ...

Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian Olive

COTTAGE GARDEN:

In the cottage garden there are many 'firsts' ...

First iris

First peony

First clematis

First water iris to bloom

Cerastium tomentosum 'Snow-in-summer'

ENTRANCE GARDEN:

Spirea cantoniensis 'Bridal veil spirea'

Bridal veil spirea and azalea

First rhododendron blooms

The honeysuckle arbor leads from the entrance garden to the shade garden.

VEGETABLE GARDEN:

Blossoms on the strawberry plants.

Future blooms: marigold seedlings in the potting shed

Chives

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting GBBD on the 15th of each month! Let's go over to her wonderful blog and see what's blooming around the world.

I hope the weather is being kind to you and your garden. For me it's 'Rain, rain go away!'

Love,
Pamela x